Last Dance
by Casteline
Summary: Rory and Jess share one last dance. Takes place during series finale, though without the rain.


Written for challenge table I found somewhere.

I don't own. Song belongs to Trapt.

* * *

**043. Last Dance**

_I found a line and then it grew_

_I found myself still thinking of you  
I felt so empty and now I'm fine  
But still it's burning, when will you be mine?_

Rory has never been a big fan of dancing. She always feels awkward and she swears she has two left feet.

She's seen her mother dance. And her father. She wonders why this particular gene has passed over her. Even when her parents are piss drunk and can't walk in a straight line, they still manage to look completely graceful.

Rory dances like a chicken with it's head cut off. Even when she's perfectly sober.

That is why, when Ms. Patty designates part of the town square the dance floor, Rory steers clear. It is her farewell party after all, she can do whatever she wants. Or not do whatever she doesn't want.

_**Too much of the same stories in our lives**__**  
**__**I think it's time for change, don't you?**__**  
**__**Too much of the same stories in our lives**__**  
**__**(I think it's time for us to walk away from here)**_

"Hey there Graduate," someone says, walking up behind her. "Care to dance."

"Jess!" she replies, grinning as she turns to face him. Completely forgetting her hatred for the game of dance, she places her hand in his, allowing him to drag her to the dance floor.

_**Look at me still in your mind**__**  
**__**Our memories so intertwined**__**  
**__**Well you broke through and found your way**__**  
**__**And so did I no need to stay**_

"What are you doing here?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck as a slow song began to play.

"Luke told me about your little going away party. Thought I'd come wish you luck."

For a while they just stare into each other, lost in one another's presence.

_**The same old picture, tried and true**__**  
**__**Been through there, lets looking for something new**_

"It's good to see you," Rory finally says.

"I've missed you," he replies, pulling her closer until her chin rests on his shoulder.

"I've missed you too."

_**Too much of the same stories in our lives**__**  
**__**I think it's time for change, don't you?**__**  
**__**Too much of the same stories in our lives**__**  
**__**(I think it's time for us to walk away from here)**_

"So how's Logan?"

Rory thinks for a moment on what to say.

"He proposed."

"Oh." Jess pulls back from her slightly and they both try to ignore the pain in his voice.

"I said no," she assured him.

"I thought you loved him?"

"I did. But I'm not ready to get married. And even if I was, I'm not sure he's the one. So I said no. In his mind, that meant that I didn't want to be with him. So he left."

"I stand by what I said when I first met him: _Guy's a jerk_."

_**Do you remember lying on the beach so late at night**__**  
**__**Do you remember running through the sprinklers that night**__**  
**__**Do you remember all the songs that I have wrote for you,**__**  
**__**All the songs that I have wrote for you**__**  
**__**(For you)**_

"I miss you," Rory says.

"You said that already."

"I know. But it's worth repeating."

_**I remember, the way you made me feel when I was with you**__**  
**__**I remember, the smile that always brought me back to you**__**  
**__**That look in your eyes, I never thought that this could be untrue**_

"So what about you?" Rory asks. "How've you been lately?"

"I've been good. Truncheon is good. I'm putting out another book in a few months."

"Really?!" Rory grinned. "What's it called? I want to be the first one to buy it."

"No you don't. It's terrible."

"So what? I want to read it. You wrote it. It'll be amazing. Just like The Subsect."

Jess made a gagging face at the mention of his first novel.

_**I remember, the way you made me feel when I was with you**__**  
**__**I remember, the smile that always brought me back to you**__**  
**__**That look in your eyes, I never thought that this could be untrue**_

"I should get going," Jess said, pulling away as the song neared it's end.

"It was good seeing you," Rory said sadly.

"Always is," Jess agreed, kissing her lightly on the lips as farewell. Then he turned and walked away.

_**(Untrue**__**  
**__**Do do da da**__**  
**__**do do da da**__**  
**__**do do da da**__**  
**__**do do da da**__**  
**__**do yeah yeah yeah)**_

"Good luck," he said, turning back to her with a smile on his face.

"You too," she replied quietly.

_**Too much of the same stories in our lives**__**  
**__**I think it's time for change, don't you?**__**  
**__**Too much of the same stories in our lives**__**  
**__**(I think it's time for us to walk away from here)**_

Rory watched as he walked away. She watched until she couldn't see him anymore, and then she watched some more, just to see if he might come back.

When several minutes passed and nothing more happened, Rory returned to the buffet table where she had been standing before he had showed up, asking for a dance.

She noticed, almost instantly, the small package now sitting in the large fold out tables. It was wrapped in green foil paper and bound with a black chord.

She picked it up and slid a small card out from under the bow. She immediately recognized the cramped handwriting.

_Rory_, it said on the front. She flipped it over. _Figured you'd ask,_ it said on the back.

She quickly tore the shiny paper away to reveal a little book with a red cover and black smudges.

**Undertones,** it read, followed by **Jess Mariano.**

She grinned and made her way over to one of the nearby benches so she could thoroughly enjoy its beauty without too much disruption.

She flipped open to the dedication, a mere five words. She always loved that about him. He could always find a way to say so much without really saying anything.

_For Rory Gilmore,_

_One day._


End file.
